Dizzy
by howstinsonmetscherbatsky
Summary: Fic set after season 3 finale. Rachel hasn't been feeling great lately. After a night out with Kurt, a bombshell is dropped that could potentially change Rachel's life.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Hello, my lovely readers! This story is set after Rachel leaves for New York in the season finale, her week at NYADA and let me tell you, it has a few shocks along the way. I'm planning for it to be a one-shot, but who knows?**

She was exhausted. She didn't remember dance classes tiring her out this much before. Sure, the teacher was kind of a bitch, but Rachel didn't usually let that get her down. Lying down on her bed, she turned on her cell phone and saw she had one text message from Kurt - "Hey Rach! A bunch of us are going out tonight, you up for it? Love you, K x"

_Uugh. _Rachel groaned. She was far too tired to be going out clubbing with Kurt and friends tonight. _What is wrong with me? _she thought. Even though she felt crappy, she replied to Kurt in a positive manner, and began choosing a dress to wear out that night.

The club was loud. Too loud, in fact. Rachel clung onto Kurt's arm, refusing yet another drink from him. She really didn't feel like drinking at all tonight, the way she felt.  
"Rachel! Get off me, there's someone I'd like you to meet." said Kurt, gesturing to a dark-haired, handsome man.  
"Hi," said the man, "I'm Brody."  
"Uh... Rachel." she said. "Would you excuse us for a second?" Rachel dragged Kurt into the ladies bathroom quickly.  
"What on earth are you doing, Rachel?"  
"I could ask you the same thing! Why are you setting me up with someone, Kurt?"  
"_Rachel. _You need to start seeing other people. You need to move on from him..."  
"_Him? _His name is Finn, Kurt, and he is the love of my life, he loves me, and..."

"HE'S NOT COMING BACK FOR YOU, RACHEL! Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to shout. Look, this guy finds you attractive. I say you talk to him, get to know him, and then decide if you want things to go further, okay?"  
Rachel sighed. "O-okay. Fine." She flounced out of the bathroom, and straight over to Brody. "Hi. Sorry to have kept you waiting... Wanna go sit in the booth over there?"  
"Sure." he replied.

Rachel had to admit that this Brody was rather nice. Not quite _Finn, _but nice all the same. He was a NYADA sophomore, a great dancer, and seemed to really like her. They were dancing to a fast song in the middle of the dance floor, when Brody went to buy another drink for himself. All of a sudden, Rachel began feeling dizzy. The bright lights began spinning around her head, the music getting slower, and all she heard before falling to the floor was Kurt's cry of "Rachel!"

She woke up to a worried-looking Kurt staring at her, lying there on her hospital bed.

"You scared the crap out of me." He said, half joking.

"Sorry." she croaked. "What happened to me, Kurt?"  
"Well, honey, you fainted in the middle of the dancefloor. Brody was very concerned, but I told him he was okay to get home."  
"Oh. But, I don't faint; I never have. Ask my daddies, I am a total non-fainter, I..."

"Ssh, no need to panic, the doctor will be here soon and you can talk to him, okay, sweetie?"  
"Okay." She began to drift off to sleep again.

"Miss Berry?" she heard a deep voice as she opened her eyes. A man whom she identified as her doctor smiled down at her. "I'm Doctor Evans. So, your friend here tells me that fainting is not a common occurrence for you?"  
"Uh, no, doctor, this is the first time something like this has ever happened." whispered Rachel.  
"Well, there is a reason for this. We discovered something whilst you were inspected last night."  
"W-what is it, Doctor? Am I ill? Is it fatal?"  
"No, no, nothing like that, Rachel. We discovered that you... are pregnant." Rachel felt as if she was about to faint again.

"I-i'm pregnant? But... I don't believe this..." Rachel was close to tears at that point.  
"We believe that you are about 1-2 months gone at this point, but you'll have to have a proper ultrasound to get the exact date. I'll leave you to talk."  
"Thank you, Doctor." Rachel looked down, and the tears began cascading down her cheek as she sobbed.  
"Hey, sweetie, don't cry..." Kurt held her closer. "It's all going to be okay... It'll all be okay."  
"Kurt, you realise what this means, don't you?"  
He shook his head.  
"The father of my baby _left me _before he even knew I was pregnant! You said it yourself, Finn's never coming back!"  
"Wait, Finn's the father?"  
"Of course he is, Kurt. And now, I'm going to have to raise a baby, which means I'll have to leave NYADA and my life is going to be ru-ui-i-ned."

Kurt knew one thing for sure: he had a phonecall to make.

The next day was a Sunday, and Rachel lay on the couch watching Funny Girl, surrounded in tissues, whilst Kurt made some coffee for them both. He had offered to stay over that night because she really should not have been alone. All of a sudden, there was a knock on the door.

"Rachel, would you get that, honey? I'm kinda busy here."  
"Sure." Rachel wiped her eyes, and walked over to the door. She opened it to reveal a tall, handsome not-so-stranger staring back at her. The father of her baby _had _come back for her after all.

She said nothing, as her feelings were mixed. Rachel was overjoyed, yet angry, and also sad, and she didn't know what to say. Thankfully, Finn didn't say anything either. He just opened his arms, and she wrapped hers around him, squeezing him tight. "I missed you." he admits.  
"I-I missed you too." she replies, another tear falling down her cheek. Kurt did nothing but smile at his handiwork, and quickly escaped from the other door leading out to the hallway.

"Rachel, I am so sorry. I would have never let you go if I knew you were pregnant..." said Finn, his voice low.  
"I didn't know, either, it wasn't your fault, I guess."  
They sat across from each other, although Rachel was longing to be in his arms. She began sobbing quietly again, and Finn couldn't take it any more. He sat beside her, placing a hand on her cheek, and kissed her deeply. Thankfully, she kissed him back, wrapping her arms around his neck. After breaking away, Rachel let out one little smile.

"So, the night we won Nationals, huh?"  
"Yeah, I guess we weren't as careful as always..." They lay down on the couch, cuddled up. "Finn, what are we going to do, I mean..."  
"The first thing _I'm _going to do is move in. That is, if you don't mind."  
"Of course I don't."  
"And then we're going to decide all that other stuff. But right now, we're just going to lie here and be in love. You think you can do that?"  
"Easily. I love you so much."  
"I love you too."  
And all of a sudden, her worries about school and her dads disappeared, because she had Finn back. Rachel had her _soulmate_ back.

**AN: Reviews = love, thank you!**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: I'd like to thank you amazing readers for the reviews and the love, first of all! Second, due to your pleas, I have decided to write more for this, making it a multi-chapter fic. I hope you enjoy Chapter 2!**

Rachel woke up on the couch the next morning to the smell of coffee.

She rubbed her sleep-filled eyes before getting up. "Finn?" she whispered. Walking to the kitchen area, she saw his gorgeous face, grinning at her, in an apron far too small for him.  
"Good morning, sleepy. How are you feeling this morning, babe?" he asked, that crooked smile still beaming.

"Uh, I'm okay. I slept like a baby last night, no pun intended. I haven't slept that well since I got here. What time is it?" She yawned.

"It's 10:05, Sunday morning. I made you some coffee, with a side of loving kisses from your boyfriend." He leaned over the counter, cupping her cheek, kissing her softly. She giggled. Rachel took one sip of her coffee, and after about three seconds, she sprinted to the bathroom, closing the door.

"Rach? Baby..." said Finn, worried. He slowly pushed the door open to reveal a fragile-looking Rachel leaning over the toilet. Any normal boyfriend would have been grossed-out, but not Finn. He crouched down, and tied back her hair, rubbing her back. "It's okay..." he whispered.

"Finn, go, I don't want you to see me like this..."  
"Like what? You couldn't look disgusting if you tried, babe. Now, I'm going to run you a bath, okay?" Rachel nodded.

"Finn..."  
"Yeah?"  
"I'm so glad you're my baby's daddy."  
"Me too."

After Rachel had been sitting in her bath for a few minutes, she called out for Finn. "Yeah, Rach?" he replied, poking his head through the door.

"Would you... Would you get in here with me, please?" she asked.

"Uh... Sure." Finn was glad that their relationship was slowly getting back to how was before. He climbed into the bath, as she leaned back, his arms cradling her. "So, Rach, I know you don't want to talk about this stuff, but I was wondering, what... what do you want to do about... this?"  
Rachel sighed. She honestly had few solutions for this situation. "Well, I was thinking, maybe NYADA can wait. If I explain my situation, maybe skirt around some facts, I could go back next year, or... I don't know. Maybe I'll just forget about NYADA altogether."

"But, it's your dream, Rachel. I know how important this is to you..."  
"No. My dream is to be with you. Wherever I go, I want to know that you'll be there... Right now, all I can do is inform NYADA, and then we'll have to see what they say."  
"Okay." was all Finn said, wrapping his arms tighter around Rachel. "I still can't believe we're having a baby. I mean, right now, there's a mini Finchel baby growing inside you... It's amazing." He kissed the top of her head, adding "I love you. And I love our baby." Rachel turned around to face him, before kissing him passionately. He reciprocated the kiss, deepening it further. "I love you too, Finn Hudson."

Later that day, Rachel headed up to the dean's office in NYADA to check out her options regarding school. "Dean Waters?" she said, nervously.

"Yes. Miss Berry, I believe?" she replied.  
"Y-you know who I am?"  
"Of course I do, your teachers are quite fond of you, they say you are most talented. What can I do for you, dear?" Dean Waters was seemingly, a lovely woman. She was middle-aged, with brow-ish hair, and she sat in her leather chair in a quaint little office.  
"Well, I have recently learnt something about myself that may compromise my position here at NYADA." replied Rachel.

"What is it, dear? I may appear to be scary, but you can tell me."  
"I..." Rachel's breath hitched. No, she would not cry now. "I'm pregnant. I'm so so sorry, Dean Waters, it's just... I didn't know what to do, and now my life is ruined and it feels like everything is crumbling down around me...  
Dean Waters rose from her chair, and wrapped both arms around Rachel. "Honey... Everything will be okay. Look at me. I'm perfectly happy for you to continue to enrol here until you must take maternity leave, but I was wondering... do you have someone to help you?"  
"Y-yes... I have my boyfriend, Finn."  
"Right. I'm just wondering, how would the baby be looked after when you were in school..."  
"I'm sure we'll figure something out... Thank you, Dean Waters." Rachel began walking away, but was stopped by Dean Waters speaking.

"Oh, and Rachel... I was meaning to talk to you about something. It seems you have an audition."

"I-I, what? An audition? How? Where?" Rachel was startled. Surely, she was dreaming.

"During your performance in Evita in our summer program, a scout was most impressed with your performance," she paused. "He has offered you an audition in their off-Broadway production of Les Mis."  
"_Really?"_ Rachel's excitement was evident.  
"Yes, of course! He will be here on Friday, in the East Side auditorium at four thirty. Good luck." Rachel rushed out of the office, wanting to tell Finn her news instantly.

"Finn! Finn, where are you?" Rachel shouted, practically skipping into her- no, their apartment.

"I'm right here, baby." he came out of the bedroom, smiling. "What's up?"  
Rachel took a deep breath before screaming, "I HAVE AN AUDITION!"

"W-what? That's amazing, Rach!" he picked her up and span her around in the air.  
"It's an off-Broaday production of Les Mis, and the audition is Friday! Oh, my gosh, what am I going to sing?" she gasped. "What am I going to _wear?"_

"You can figure that out later, babe, but right now, you need to tell me what the Dean said."  
"Oh, she said she was perfectly happy for me to continue with my studies until the last month or so... Then I can go back to school."  
"That's great! Oh, this is going to be perfect!"  
"Wait, you're not mad that we'll have to get a nanny or you're going to have to look after-"  
"No, baby, I'm just happy that we're finally together. Which brings me to what I was going to tell you when you came in. Follow me."

Rachel followed Finn into the bedroom, where she saw about thirty candles around the room, gorgeous rose petals on the bed, and her twinkly lights dangling from the ceiling. "W-what is this?" she asked, bewildered.

"Uh, look, I know that we've only just got back together and everything, but I feel like this is right. Rachel, I love you. I love you so much. I made a mistake letting you go-"

"No, Finn, I understand."  
"Wait, let me finish. It was a mistake, but I hope this makes up for it." He got down on one knee. "Rachel Berry, will you marry me? Again."  
She couldn't control the tears. It was so beautiful. Even though her engagement ring was hidden in a box in her cupboard, Finn had managed to find it again.  
"Yes, with all my heart! Yes, I will marry you!" Finn slipped the ring on her finger again, and slowly leaned in to kiss his fiancée. It was a lingering kiss, with neither wanting to pull away. "I can't believe how amazingly perfect you are, Finn. These tears are extremely happy ones, believe me. If I had to choose one person to be my baby's daddy, I would always choose you. I would choose you every single time."  
Finn scooped her up into his arms, one tear sliding down his cheek too. He would choose her as the mother of his child every time, too. He couldn't think of anyone he would prefer.

**AN: I hoped you liked Chapter 2! Reviews are looove!**


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Hi guys! Thank you sooo much for your kind words about this story so far, I love you all! I'm going to try and update this story every week, but please be patient! Enjoy Chapter 3.**

He rolled over to see his beautiful fiancée sound asleep beside him. She looked so peaceful and serene. Finn glanced at the clock: 10:06. Rachel didn't have a class until 2 o'clock that afternoon, so he decided that letting her sleep for a while wouldn't be too bad. Slowly, he got up out of bed, trying not to wake her. He decided, after last time, that cooking breakfast wasn't a good idea, so instead he settled on some cereal whilst he read the _New York Times. _

"Finn?" he heard a little voice calling. _Crap, _he thought, _I woke her up. _

"I'm in the kitchen, babe!" he replied.

She dragged herself onto the couch in the lounge area with a sigh. "What's up, Rach?"  
"Oh, I don't know, I just feel kinda tired today."  
"I'm not surprised, after last night!"  
"Finn!" she scolded.  
"Okay, well, how about I pour you some Cheerios and you can just rest for a while, okay?"  
Rachel nodded. Just as Finn was about to reach for the cereal, there was a knock on the door. "I'll get it." he said. _Who would be visiting at this time of the morning? _wondered Finn. When he opened the door to his fathers-in-law to be, he knew he had some explaining to do.

"Finn?" they both exclaimed. Rachel quickly got up off the couch to greet her fathers.

"Dad, Daddy, what are you guys doing here? Good to see you guys, come in!" she hugged them both at once.

"Well, we were in the area and we were just stopping by because we thought you'd be lonely... Clearly not..." said Hiram.  
"Honey, would you mind... explaining what's going on here?" asked Leroy. They sat next to each other on the couch where Rachel had been laying moments earlier.  
"Uh... Well, Mr Berrys, all I can say is that I realised I made a mistake by letting Rachel go, and I'm back, hoping I can make up for it." said Finn, putting his arm around her. She smiled at him.  
"And from the shiny rock on your finger, I assume you two are engaged again..." said Hiram.

"Yes, Dad. Look, I love Finn, and he loves me. We want to make this relationship work, so, we got engaged and Finn moved in."

"Hm... Well, hopefully you can lose some of that extra weight I see you've gained from moping around being heartbroken..."  
Neither Rachel nor Finn said a word. They both silently hoped the conversation would move on from there, but no such luck.

"Honey? I just made a pretty mean comment about your weight and you didn't even throw anything at me. What's going on?" Hiram and Leroy looked at each other, clearly concerned. Rachel glanced towards Finn as if to ask for help.

"Uh, Mr Berry, how about I make you a coffee..." Finn began.

"That would be great Finn, and whilst you do that, Rachel can explain what the hell is going on!"  
"Hiram, that's enough." his husband warned. "Look, Rachel, we're just worried about you, baby. Just tell us, are you sick? Is it school?"

Rachel nodded at Finn, and he sat down beside her, putting her father's coffee down on the table. "Okay, dads, I guess we do have some news for you, and before I tell you what it is, I don't want you to be angry or upset. I admit, I was upset to start off with, but now, I think we're both pretty happy about it... What I'm trying to say is... I'm pregnant."  
Time seemed to stand still. The single second where Hiram dropped his coffee mug onto the hard, wooden floor felt like a lifetime to Rachel. She breathed out in relief. Both Finn and Rachel would have expected Hiram especially to be furious, but instead they both stayed calm. Leroy was the first to speak up.

"A baby! Oh, my gosh, Rachel! I can't pretend this is ideal, but I am happy for you!" he said, scooping her up in a hug. Hiram stayed silent. Finn looked over at him expectantly, waiting for a response. After a few moments of silence, Hiram spoke.

"Well, at least you don't have a fatal illness." he said, completely monotone. "I'm kidding. Congratulations, I suppose! Hug it in, baby." he wrapped his arms around his daughter lovingly. Leroy shook Finn's hand, adding a "Take good care of my baby, and her baby, okay?"

"I will, sir. I promise." replied Finn. After a few moments, Hiram piped up.  
"So, Finn, I presume you are the father, right?"  
"Correct."  
"Which means Rachel, you must be about 2 months gone now, right?"  
"Yes, Dad."  
"So when are you going for your scan? It's important to see how the newest little addition to our family is doing."  
"Well, Finn and I booked us in for a scan in a few weeks, so we'll send you a picture and tell you all about it." Finn suddenly realised something.  
"Um, we haven't had a chance to tell Burt and my mom yet, so could you keep quiet about this for a while?"  
"Sure, son." said Leroy, smiling. They spent the next hour or so chatting about numerous subjects, from television to politics to restaurants in the city. Rachel had to admit, it was nice to see her daddies again.

-F&R-

A few weeks later, Finn and Rachel sat in the waiting room of the hospital, her bump only just showing under her top, when the receptionist called "Rachel Berry?"

They were led to a room where Dr Forms was waiting for them. He was a young-looking doctor, very handsome, with dark hair, and his shiny white teeth smiled at the couple as they entered the room.

"Ah, Rachel? Welcome, come sit on the bed, Finn, you may sit on the stool. I'll be back in a few minutes." he said, leaving the room.

"Wow..." said Rachel.  
"What, baby?" asked Finn.  
"All this.. it feels so surreal. It's pretty amazing."  
"Yeah, I know what you mean... So, if he asks if we want to know the sex of the baby, do you want to know?"  
"I've thought about this... And, yes I do."  
"Really? Me too! I'm so glad you said that!"

A few minutes later, Finn and Rachel were staring at their tiny baby on a screen. Finn could feel the tears welling up in his eyes, but desperately tried to keep them in.

"Would you like to know the sex of the baby?" asked Doctor Forms. Rachel nodded, along with Finn. "You two are having... a girl. Congratulations. I'll leave you to talk."  
Rachel grinned. "We're having a baby girl, Finn, a baby girl!"  
Finn kissed her passionately, placing a hand on her stomach. Everything to him was now perfect.

**AN: Okay, I need baby girl name ideas, so send them in! Rachel is about 3 months gone now, and I'm not a baby expert, so excuse any incorrect facts! Hope you enjoyed!**


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: I sincerely apologise for my lack of updates, life has been crazy lately! I'm hoping to upload more often, but stay with me, don't give up on my story yet. Hope you enjoy!**

"What about Kelsey?" Finn asked as they lay in bed. They had been up for an hour, just talking about baby names. Ever since Rachel had returned from her scan last week, Finn was growing ever more excited by the day.

"No, not Kelsey. We need something really meaningful, really unique." replied Rachel. "But I do appreciate your enthusiasm, Finny." She gave him a chaste kiss on his lips before lying down again. Being over three months gone, the tiniest hint of a baby bump was forming on Rachel's belly. Finn thought she looked adorable.

"Okay, I guess we can think of some more later. By the way, my mom called. I think it's time we told her and Burt about the baby, Rach."  
"Yeah, I agree, my dads have been silent for weeks now, it's time we tell your parents. You know what? I have no classes on Friday, so how about we take a long weekend back to Lima?" she turned to face her fiancée with a gleaming smile on her face.

"That's a good idea, babe. I'll call Carole tomorrow to see if it's okay for us to visit. Meanwhile, you should get some sleep, come closer and snuggle with me, momma!"

"Momma? I suppose I'll have to get used to that, huh?" She turned around, as Finn's arm wrapped around her tiny frame, whispering a goodnight.

-F&R-

She clung onto Finn's hand as they boarded the train. It brought back horrible memories to Rachel of that summer, and Finn, sensing this, gripped onto her hand tighter, pressing a kiss to her forehead. Even though it was early Autumn, Rachel wrapped up warm in her cute fur (fake, of course) coat as they sat down.

A couple of hours later, they were almost heading into the train station in Lima, Ohio.  
"I'm going to go grab a coffee to go, I'll be back in a sec." said Rachel, getting up. All of a sudden, a teenager came rushing down the aisle, not looking where he was going. Just as Rachel looked back at Finn, losing focus on the boy, he pushed Rachel into the nearby wall accidentally, and she cried out in fear.  
"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?" Finn got up immediately; ready to kick the crap out of the young man. He grabbed him by the collar and said "HUH?"

"Finn, i-it's okay, it was an accident. I'm fine." said Rachel, but she was shaking. Finn loosened his grip on the idiot in front of him, as the guy added: "I'm sorry, dude, I should've looked where I was going. I'm really sorry, lady."  
Finn let him go, and rushed to Rachel's side. "Baby, you sure you're okay?"  
"I-i'll be fine. Honestly, it's nothing." But a tear fell from her eye as she lied. Finn took her hand and gently helped her up, taking her back to her seat, where thankfully, no other passengers could stare at them. He sat her on his lap.

"Rachel Barbra Berry, I know you. I know it's not okay. Why are you crying? Usually, you'd make a witty comment and brush it off. Talk to me."  
She took in a breath. "It's just that... In the split second I hit that wall, I thought h-how disappointed you'd be in me if I lost our baby because I was stupid and fell over and I just couldn't handle you being angry at me and hating-"  
"Ssh, hey, stop. Our baby is fine, you're going to be fine, and if you think that I could ever hate you, then you're insane. I love you, Rachel, and that's never going to change, okay?"  
She nodded, smiling. "I love you so much." She buried her head into his chest.

Suddenly, the train arrived the platform, and Finn lead them to Burt, who sat in his truck, listening to Mellencamp. His face lit up as he saw his step-son and his fiancée.

"Finn, Rachel! You guys look so good, so healthy! Come here, give me a hug, you two!" he cried, wrapping his arms around them both.

"Hey, Burt! Where's my mom?" asked Finn.

"She's preparing dinner back at home, but she's really excited to see you, so you'd better get into my car quickly, because she cannot wait to see you both together!"  
Rachel felt an odd sense of nostalgia as she entered the Hummel-Hudson household. It felt safe; familiar.

"Rachel, you look gorgeous, honey!" Carole appeared from behind the kitchen door, wearing an apron, and hugged them both. "You too, Finny! So, how's New York?"  
"Uh... great, actually! Great apartment, great city, it's perfect."  
"Well, you can tell us all about it over dinner, but why don't you two go up to your room and put your bags up there, whilst Burt helps me set the table?" She gestured for her husband to come into the kitchen.

After Finn and Rachel had walked up the stairs, Carole whispered to her husband. "Something's up."  
"What are you talking about, nothing's up?" replied Burt, confused.

"I mean with Finn and Rachel. They've been back together for what, a month and a half now? Yet they still seem nervous about something."  
"Woman, I think you're delusional. Kurt would've told us if something had happened. They seem happy, I mean, her ring is back on, right?"  
"That's another thing. She didn't try and hide the ring, meaning that's not what she wants to hide. Which begs the question, what is?"  
"Carole, why don't you get back to your food and stop playing Cluedo for a bit, okay?"

Upstairs, Rachel and Finn layed on his bed, looking up at the ceiling.  
"It feels good being back in your room, huh?" she asked.

"Yeah. But I feel like this room was the old me's room, and _our _room, our apartment, is where I belong now." He leaned over and kissed Rachel on the lips, moving his hands to her hips. He started trailing kisses up and down her neck, passionately.  
"_Finn. _We can't have sex whilst your parents are home! No matter how much I really want to, we have to go down to dinner."  
"Ugh, fine. But when they go shopping tomorrow, you are all mine."  
"Deal." she winked.

-F&R-

"So, Rachel, how's NYADA going?" asked Carole.

"It's going really well, thanks, and I love my classes, my fellow students, it's great."  
"I'm glad." There was a sort of awkward silence around the table, which made Finn look towards Rachel in a sort of 'should we tell them now?' way. Rachel nodded, and grasped for his hand.

"Okay, Mom, Burt, I'm guessing you've figured out that there was a reason why we came to visit, right?"  
"Yeah, your mom's been trying to figure out why for the past hour." said Burt.

"Well, before I say this, I really don't want you to be angry at Rachel, okay? Take out all your feelings on me, because she doesn't need any stress right now." he sighed. "I guess I have to just spit it out... Rachel and I... are, uh... expecting a baby."  
Carole literally spat out her water. "You're what?"  
Burt said nothing, but sat there in shock.

"Finn and I are having a baby. No, it wasn't planned, but after adjusting to the idea, we're excited."  
Silence. Burt finally spoke up. "I don't even know how to respond to this. Didn't you learn anything after the Quinn situation sophomore year?"  
"Burt, stop." Carole said quietly. "Look, I can't pretend that I'm not bothered and disappointed with this, you two, but I suppose it could be worse. I need time to get used to this. For now, I need to get my head around this. Finn, Rachel, if you could go upstairs right now, I'd appreciate it."  
"I'm so sorry Car-" Rachel started.

"Please, Rachel, just go. I can't speak to either of you right now."  
They walked away, and a small tear fell from Finn's eyes, as he looked back to his mother, disappointed.


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: At this point in the story, it's been about two weeks since Carole and Burt found out, meaning Rachel is almost four months gone. In my mind, Nationals was in late June, so it's late November in this story. Btw, this chapter is rated M. Enjoy.**

"Hey, Rach, you know that job for a teaching assistant in Queens I applied for?" shouted Finn from the living room.

"Yeah?" said Rachel, munching on a carrot in the kitchen. Cravings.  
"I just got an e-mail confirming I got it! I start on Monday!"  
"Oh, Finn, that's great! I wish the Les Mis producers would call me, it's been weeks since the audition and I've heard nothing!"  
"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll hear something soon, babe."

Rachel sighed. She had two weeks until winter break, which meant two weeks of lectures and rehearsals, five days a week. That day, she had a dance rehearsal from nine 'til twelve, and a one-to-one singing session from one 'til three. She skipped over to Finn, planted a kiss on his lips and grabbed her bag.

"Whoa, whoa, where are you going? It's only eight thirty. It doesn't take you half an hour to walk two blocks! We still have plenty of time." he smirked, getting up. He cupped her face as she dropped her bag to the floor, kissing him frantically. "God, I love pregnant Rachel. You're so aggressive."  
"Shut up and carry me to the bedroom." she ordered.

"As you wish." She wrapped her legs around his waist, wasting no time in removing his shirt as her dropped her down gently onto the bed. He practically ripped her black tank top off, and quickly got to work on her bra.

"Finn, too many clothes. Off, now." She pulled down his jeans, as he threw her bra to the side. Slowly, she reached for his boxers as her skirt dropped to the ground. Even slower, which was killing him, she pulled his boxers down, admiring the view. Her mouth attacked his in a frenzy of lust and need, as Finn removed the final item of clothing leaving them both naked.

"Finn," she panted. "I need you now. Please."  
He did as she ordered, and within seconds, he was inside her, eliciting high-pitched moans from Rachel.

"Fuck, Rach." murmured Finn.

Their rhythm was perfectly in sync, and just as Finn thrusted hard once again, Rachel stopped licking his neck, letting out a moan. After a while, she moved so that she was on top of him. She rode him fast, then soft, then even faster, until they both finished, crying out in unison. Needless to say, she was late to her dance rehearsal.

It was eleven o'clock, and Cassandra July was busy screeching commands at her students, including Rachel.

"Berry, get over here, everyone else carry on!"

Rachel scurried over to her teacher nervously. "Yes, Miss July?"  
"Look, I know we've had our differences, but I thought we could put them aside, okay? The faculty members have told me about your... condition, so I just want to say, if you ever feel like I'm pushing you too hard or you feel sick, just take a break, okay? I realise it must be hard for you. Okay, back to the line, I'm done."  
"Thank you, Miss July." Just as Rachel walked back to her classmates, Cassandra piped up again.

'Oh, and Rachel? Make sure you keep your phone on today. I have a feeling you'll be getting a very important phonecall."

At twelve o'clock, Rachel met Finn for lunch in a pizza joint not far from NYADA. After they shared a margherita pizza, and were telling each other of their day, Rachel's phone began vibrating. It was an unknown number.

"Hello?" she answered.

"Hi, Rachel, this is Annette Phillips, the director for Les Mis. I'm calling to tell you that we were most pleased with your audition, and that you have a callback in a few weeks, we'll e-mail you the details and such."  
"Oh my goodness, thank you! I'm so grateful for this opportunity!"  
"No need to thank me, Miss Berry. Also, if you do succeed in getting a role in our production, I'm afraid rehearsals don't start until late spring, because we have issues regarding casting and also rehearsal space. Anyway, good luck. Bye!"  
"Goodbye!"

_Late spring. _That meant April or hopefully, May. Rachel's baby was due in April. If she was getting a role in this production, maybe she wouldn't have to mention her pregnancy. Maybe she could have the baby and go to rehearsals in a matter of weeks. A small smile began forming on her face, as she told Finn everything.

"That's amazing! My fiancée, a big theatre star!"  
"Well, I have a callback, that's all. It's so exciting! All my dreams are coming true, you know? New York, you, me and our baby, being engaged to you, it's all I've ever wanted. Even without your parents' blessing, I'm so glad we're having this little girl."  
"Hey, they'll come round, they just need time. Anyway, it's almost one, you should get going to your singing session. I'll get the bill, you go."  
Rachel took her coat, before saying: "You know what, Finn Hudson? I love you so much." She kissed him, and quickly walked down the street to her class. Things were looking up, and Rachel couldn't help but squeal, thinking about the little baby Finchel growing inside her.

-F&R-

That night, after Finn had surprised Rachel with a delicious meal, not to mention the incredible dessert to follow in the bedroom, they both lay asleep in each other's arms. Finn was humming quietly in his sleep, and Rachel looked so peaceful. Suddenly, Rachel woke up with a start. Looking over to the clock, she saw that it was three in the morning. She was panicking. What was going on? She shook Finn in a pure state of distress, wanting, needing him to wake up. "Finn. Finn!"  
"Hm-m, baby? What's wrong?" he said, waking up. Rachel was so frightened about the next few words she spoke.

"I'm bleeding."

**AN: Don't hate me yet. Reviews are love.**


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: This is a pretty emotional chapter guys, but stay with me, I promise it gets better. **

He had never moved so fast in his life. As soon as Rachel had alerted him of her pain, he scooped her up in his arms, and soon they were in Finn's car, on their way to the hospital. Finn looked over to his tiny fiancée, who looked even smaller as she wept silent tears beside him. He took one hand and rested it on hers.

"Shh, it's gonna be okay. It'll be okay." He whispered, not knowing if he was trying to convince Rachel or himself. He was scared; more scared than the time she'd fallen on the train, because it was all too overwhelming for him. Nevertheless, he pulled into the hospital parking area, and quickly led the love of his life inside.

The next few hours were confusing for Rachel. They rushed through doors; so many doors. She heard Finn say "Rachel Berry" and explaining what had happened, yet she could not remember how she got from there to the hospital bed, surrounded by doctors. Rachel recalled a voice she recognised as Finn shouting in anger and upset, but from there on, it was all a blur.

After what felt like days for Finn, finally, he saw a doctor leave Rachel's room.  
"Excuse me, Doctor!" he called out.

"Ah, you're Mr Hudson, I presume?" replied the middle-aged man.

"Yes, but what's happening? Is she okay? The baby? Why is no one telling me anything? I deserve to know!"  
"Sir, if you could calm down-"  
"NO! I won't calm down! Those are my two most important girls in there and I don't know what I'll do if I lose them!" his voice began to break as he sunk back into his seat. "I really don't know what I'll do..."  
There was silence as the doctor rested his hand on Finn's shoulder. "Son, we're doing the best we can. I'm afraid there's nothing I can tell you right now, but I'm sure we'll have some news soon." And with that, he left Finn, tears running down his cheeks at the thought of losing the two people who mattered the most to him. He was sure that he could never love anyone as much as Rachel, and he needed to know if she was okay.

-F&R-

About an hour later, a friendly-looking nurse led Finn into Rachel's room. She looked so ill, so tired.

"Rachel..." he immediately grabbed her little hand tightly, trying his best not to cry. The nurse smiled at them. This was it, he was sure. This was the moment she would tell them their baby was dead. Their first baby. Dead.

"Well, we've received the results back..." the nurse began, and Finn choked back tears. The nurse said a few technical terms he didn't understand, but he understood the final sentence she spoke. "So, mother and baby are going to be fine."  
He couldn't help it; he hugged his fiancée close and began openly weeping in front of her. Rachel let out a relieved sob, clinging onto Finn tightly.

"W-we're still having a baby?" she asked.

"You're still having a baby!" replied the nurse. "I'll leave you two with your news."  
"Rach, we're having a baby! I can't believe this! I love you." said Finn emotionally.

"I love you so much." she pulled him into a kiss, their tears almost drowning them in their embrace, but neither cared.

"I thought I'd lost you, baby..." he said, placing a hand on her stomach.

After staying overnight in the hospital, the couple returned home to their apartment. Finn had called Hiram and Leroy, along with Burt, Carole and Kurt, to inform them of what happened, the night before and had told them that Rachel was okay. What he didn't count on was seeing two familiar faces at their door after being home for a few hours.

"Mom? Burt? What are you doing here?" asked Finn.

"I am so so sorry, Finn." Carole hugged her son, as Burt rested a hand on his shoulder.  
"Mom, it's fine, Rachel and the baby are okay, but she's resting. Why are you here?" he was slightly cold with his parents, not knowing if they still felt the same way.

"I should have been supportive, son, I am so sorry. I'm just glad we still get the opportunity to be grandparents. I don't know what I would've done if..." Finn knew what she was about to say. Burt spoke for his wife.

"What your mom is trying to say is that we shouldn't have reacted so badly to you two having a baby. To be honest, we've warmed to the idea. We just wanted to apologize."

Finn had to forgive them, and gave them both a hug. The events of the night before had made him realise how important family was to him.

"Well, you guys are welcome to stay for a while, but Rachel's all tired out, so she probably won't be getting up for a while."

"Oh, that reminds me, I got you something for the baby." said Carole. Out of her bag, she pulled out a small teddy bear. "It was your first one. I found it in the attic when I was clearing stuff out, and I thought your baby could have it, that is, if you want him or her to have it."  
"Uh, it's a she." said Finn.

"A little girl! Oh, Finn, I'm happy for you both. Truly, I am."  
"Thanks, Mom

Rachel had been asleep for a few hours after his parents had left for their hotel, which left Finn to his thoughts. The trauma had taken its toll on him, but now the only tears he cried were happy ones. He was just going over what he was going to ask his fiancée when she woke up.

"Hi, Finn." she said sleepily.  
"I'm sorry, baby, did I wake you?"  
"No, I guess I've just had enough sleep. What's up? You look nervous. Did the doctors call?" she was worried.

"No, nothing like that, don't worry. It's just... I've been thinking. How crazy would it be if we... got married?"  
"What? Finn, we're getting married, we're engaged..."

"I meant soon, before the baby arrives. I was thinking how nice it would be for us to be married when our little girl is born."

"I like that idea. When were you thinking about having the ceremony?"  
"Uh... Christmas Eve."

**AN: A Finchel Christmas wedding! Squee! Reviews are love, and I hope you enjoyed. **


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: Thank you for all the favorites and follows, you guys truly are the best! This chapter is the Finchel wedding! Will they go through with it? Read to find out! Enjoy!**

"You're getting married today, sweetie, you gotta get up!" yelled Kurt.

"Five more minutes! The baby was kicking all night, I didn't get much sleep!" said Rachel, lying in bed. She opened her eyes to see Kurt's smiling face looking down on her.

"Look, Santana, Quinn and Tina are going to be here for bridesmaids duty any minute! Get up, Rach, c'mon!" Kurt helped Rachel, who was glowing, out of bed, and into the kitchen for her special wedding day breakfast.

Rachel, who was now five months pregnant, gobbled down all of the fruit salad and pastries Kurt had laid out for her, and had just finished when the doorbell rang. Finn had been staying with Puck, his best man, along with Blaine, Sam and Burt in a hotel for the night. Needless to say, Rachel had really missed him. It was going to be an intimate ceremony, with only close friends, and after much persuasion, Rachel had agreed that an outdoor wedding wouldn't be the wisest decision. So, they were getting married in a wedding hall that Rachel had fallen in love with.

Kurt ran to open the door, and the bride's party came rushing in. Hiram and Leroy looked particularly dapper in their suits, and Carole looked lovely also. The bridesmaids wore dark blue matching dresses, which were carefully chosen by Rachel, with Carole's help.

"Rachel! You look so cute with your baby bump!" squealed Tina.

"Thank you, Tina, and I should really go get dressed..."  
"I still can't believe you're knocked up with Finn's baby. Nice going, Berry!" joked Santana.

"You look gorgeous though. Tiny, but gorgeous." added Quinn.

"Well, thank you. Now, if you don't mind, my best man, Kurt and I have some styling to do. Make yourselves at home."

-F&R-

"Dude, how are you not freaking out right now?" asked Puck in their hotel room.

"Because I have nothing to worry about. I'm marrying the girl of my dreams, who's carrying my baby; it's all I could ever ask for." replied Finn.

"Well, I'm really happy for you both, Finn." Burt added.

"Yeah, to think Kurt is going to be an uncle is actually pretty funny!" exclaimed Blaine.

"Hey, you guys can be honorary uncles too, you know." chuckled Finn.

"Have you seen Rachel's dress, dude?" asked Sam.

"Nope, not allowed."  
"Ah."  
"Why?"  
"Quinn just sent me a picture of her, that's all. Let's just say, you are in for a treat, my friend."

-F&R-

Rachel stepped out in front of her bridal party looking radiant.

"Oh my goodness, Rachel, you look stunning." exclaimed Hiram. Leroy nodded in agreement, tears in his eyes.

"I have to get a picture of this." said Quinn, whipping out her phone.

Rachel's gown was simple, yet elegant. It had a similar neckline to her first gown back in senior year, but it had tiny crystals embellished around the middle, and had a more flowing skirt. Her bump was only just recognisable under the fabric, and her hair was up in a bun.

"Do you think Finn will like it?" asked Rachel.

"Darling, I know Finn is going to love it." replied Carole.

Soon, Rachel and her bridal party parted ways, as they left for the wedding. The ceremony would begin at twelve, and it was 11:50 already, meaning the bride would be suitably late. With her, in Rachel's car, were her parents and Kurt. Carole and the bridesmaids were in the car in front.

"Is this too fast?" blurted out Rachel.

"What? Of course not..." but Hiram was interrupted.

"I need air. Air..."  
"Driver, could we make a stop please?" asked Leroy.

Rachel bolted out of the car as soon as it stopped. Her fathers tried to follow, but were stopped by Kurt's: "No, let me."

He followed her outside, as she breathed in and out.  
"Rachel, what's up? You don't get nervous about anything."  
"I just... What if this is a mistake? What if, a few months from now, Finn realizes that he doesn't want to raise a child? I can't stop him from living his life! I'm trapping him!"

"Rachel, he _loves_ you. He loves you and your baby girl more than anything! He wants this life, he wants to raise a kid with you, especially! C'mon, this is just wedding jitters talking."  
"O-okay, just give me a minute."

She took out her phone, and texted Finn saying "I love you."  
A few moments later, walking back to the car, she received a reply. He'd written "I love you too. Can't wait to see you."

All the guests were seated. Finn had been standing with Puck at the end of the aisle for a few moments, after watching the bridesmaids, along with his mother, walk down to take their seats. All of a sudden, The Wedding March started playing, and a stunning vision in white started walking towards him. Finn was speechless. Rachel looked beautiful. And the cute little baby bump he could see made him even happier. By the time she'd reached him, her smile was so big that he wanted to kiss her then and there. But then he remembered that was what he'd do later. "You look..." he couldn't get a handle on his words. "Breathtaking."  
"Thank you. You too." she whispered.

"And now for the vows. Rachel, if you'd like to go first."

Rachel paused. "Finn. From the moment I first saw you in the hallway, I thought to myself 'I'd like to marry that boy someday'. And since then, I've never stopped thinking it. I'm so glad and lucky that the day has come, because I couldn't think of anyone I'd rather spend the rest of my life with. I love you so much. And I remember we sang that duet for our first Regional competition, 'Faithfully', and just before, you told me you loved me, and it just clicked. So, Finn Hudson, if you'll have me, I'll be forever yours, faithfully." A tear slipped down her cheek and she laughed softly. Now, it was Finn's turn.

"Rachel, I can't put into words just how much I love you, but I'll try my best. You're my hero, my soulmate and the love of my life. When trying to write these vows, I tried to think about important moments in our relationship. But then, I realised something. There are no specific moments of my time with you that are more significant, because every minute, second, I've been with you have been the most significant moments of my life anyway. Every day I'm without you, my day doesn't feel complete. So, to fix this, I want to spend every single day of the rest of my life with you, my gorgeous, stunning and beautiful wife-to-be." Even Puck was weeping, and Finn silently wiped a tear away.

"Finn Hudson, do you take Rachel Barbra Berry to be your lawfully wedded wife?"  
"I do." he slipped the wedding ring over her finger, choking back tears.

"And do you, Rachel Barbra Berry, take Finn Hudson as your lawfully wedded husband?"  
"I do! Of course, I do." she replied.

"You may now kiss the bride."  
They leaned in for a long embrace, Finn's arms wrapping around her. All of a sudden, the baby kicked.

"D-did you feel that?" asked Rachel, breaking the kiss.

"Y-yes. Oh my goodness, that was amazing!"

"I love you, my husband."  
"I love you too, Mrs Hudson. And I love our Hudson baby too."


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: Hi! I had some time from my crazy schedule to write a quick chapter, so I hope you like it! It's kinda fluffy and nice and cute, so enjoy!**

The small gap in the curtains let the tiniest bit of light through into the room. Finn's eyes fluttered open slowly as his eyes adjusted to the light. Blinking slowly, he turned over to his right, to see Rachel lightly snoring away beside him. Finn smiled. They'd been on their honeymoon in Finn's uncle's log cabin for five days now, and so far, it had been completely blissful. It was the best they could do with Rachel heavily pregnant and not wanting to fly. Finn looked over at the clock next to the bed; it was ten o'clock. Rachel would kill him if he didn't wake her up for their relaxing walk in the mountains, so, ever so gently, he shook her until, slowly, she awoke.

"Mm... Good morning." she said, reaching up to kiss him, as he reciprocated. "I probably look like hell. I didn't sleep much."  
"You look beautiful, and you always will to me. I figured you were tired; I heard you tossing and turning last night. Which is why I'm going to make you a nice breakfast before our _slow, relaxing_ walk today." said Finn, his signature crooked grin clear to see. "Wow. We've only been married for a week, and you're already the perfect husband." she pecked his lips. "Thank you."

After a nice, cooked breakfast made by Finn, Rachel decided to go for a shower before their walk. She sighed as she undressed in front of the mirror. So, she was only five months pregnant, but she was pretty big now. Who knows what she'd look like in three, four months? Rachel sighed once more. Then, suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

"Babe, can I come in?" asked Finn through the door. "The door's locked!"  
"I know, I'm taking a shower!" replied Rachel.  
"Yeah, I was kinda hoping we could... shower together?" he knocked again. "Rach?"  
There was a pause. "No." said Rachel.

"W-what? Rach, let me in..." Finn was getting worried. Rachel put on her bathrobe and unlocked the door.  
"Babe, what's wrong, why didn't you let me in?"  
"Because... I'm disgusting. Look at me, I look like a pudgy little pig who..." Finn interrupted.  
"Rachel, why would you ever think that?" he leaned down to reach her height, rubbing her arm. "I love you; you're my wife, which means I will always find you attractive and sexy and beautiful, no matter how pregnant you are."  
"I just... I didn't want you to see me naked and find me unattractive..."  
"Babe, I've seen you naked so much these past few days that I can positively confirm you are... gorgeous. Now, come on, get in the shower with me." And with that, Finn's boxers dropped to the floor. Rachel giggled. Slowly, he unbuckled the tie around her bathrobe, and it fell to the floor. Finn grinned.

He picked her up, gave her a quick kiss, and carried her into the shower, peppering her neck with kisses. She wrapped a leg around his waist, moaning softly. Her elbow accidentally grazed the shower switch, and suddenly, they were sprayed with cold water.  
"Well, if that doesn't cool us down, I don't know what will." joked Rachel.

F&R

A few hours later, the were making their way up the small mountain, Finn carrying a picnic basket, complete with food, and flasks of warm coffee for his wife. She was wrapped up warm, in one of his big, warm hoodies, a coat, fake furry mittens, and a knitted scarf and hat.

"When are we stopping for lunch? It's one o' clock now, and I need my second coffee fix, Finn!" Rachel feigned anger, poking Finn in the ribs.  
"Seeing as you're so persistent, we can stop here!"  
"Ooh, persistent. Big word there, Hudson."  
"Thanks, Hudson." he teased.

Now, _that_ would take some getting used to. _Hudson_. She was Rachel Barbra _Hudson_ now. Finn smiled at the though, and as he did so, he thought about how many times he'd smiled since he'd gone to New York to get Rachel back. She made him so, so happy, and he knew she felt the same. Every time he looked at her, he could feel his heart warming up, as corny as it sounded.

They sat on a nice cleared patch, and Finn passed the warm flask to Rachel, who took a swift swig. Finn had barely put the basket down before Rachel attacked his lips in a frenzy of kisses. "I'm so cold..." she flirted.

"Hmm... You're freezing..." said Finn in between kisses. They lay down on the blanket Finn had placed on the floor and began making out. Finn wrapped his arms around her hips, pulling her closer. Rachel moaned into his mouth.  
"You know... We'd probably die of frost bite if we did it on this mountain..." she whispered.  
"Meh, it's worth it!" joked Finn. "I'm kidding. We've gotta wrap you and baby girl Hudson up safe and warm." He lovingly wrapped the blanket around her, and kissed her softly. "Just wait 'til we get back to the cabin, when I can warm you up..." he whispered.

After finishing their food, they walked on for a while, in a different direction.

"Finn, how long 'til we're back at the cabin? My feet are starting to ache a little." Rachel asked.

"Just a little longer, there's a nice spot my cousin and I used to visit when we were kids, it's pretty close to the cabin, and it has a view to die for." he replied. "Get your camera out, so you can make a nice little album of all the photos we've taken, because I know you'll want to show everyone!"

"Well, maybe not _all _of the photos we've taken these past few days, hey?" Rachel grinned, pleased at her little joke.

A few moments later, they arrived the place Finn had aforementioned, and Rachel let out a gasp.

"Wow." she exclaimed. From there, she could see for miles and miles. The scenery was breathtaking: The mist glazed the mountaintops, and the sky was a beautiful blue.

"I knew you'd appreciate it." he kissed her cheek.

"Wow, I mean, you said the view was to die for... It's gorgeous." Rachel said, looking out towards the mountains. Finn, however, kept his eyes on Rachel, his gorgeous wife, and knew then, more than ever, that he truly loved her, and said "Yeah. It really is."


	9. Chapter 9

**AN: Hi! Thanks for all the baby girl names, and please, keep them coming in, because you still have a few chapters until the baby name is revealed! This chapter is basically centred around Rachel's callback for Les Mis, with some nice fluff. Hope you enjoy!**

She was ready for this. She had been all her life, and being a five-and-a-half-month pregnant, newly married woman was not going to stop her from making her dream come true. It was early January, and Rachel stood backstage in the Livehall Theatre, ready for her callback. That morning, Finn had helped her, or more like gawped at her, agreeing with every word she said, to choose an outfit that hid her baby bump cleverly. She wore a flowing, long, thick blue dress with cute black leggings, and the directors of the musical would most likely have no clue. Rachel did feel bad that she wasn't telling them the truth, but she _really _ wanted this part. She was hoping to get that part of Eponine, and was hoping they'd enjoy her rendition of 'On My Own'.

In these callbacks, Rachel would have to sing two songs, one song from Les Mis, and one song of the auditionee's choice. Rachel, of course, had chosen a Barbra classic'. She has already acted a scene in her original audition, so all that was left to do was sing her heart out.

"Rachel Berry." she heard from the audience. This was it. This was her moment, and she was going to show them that she was the _only _person worth considering for this role.

"Hi, my name is Rachel Berry, and I'll be auditioning for Eponine." she said, confidentally.

She saw Annette Phillips, the director, along with two other men sitting in front of her.

"What will you be singing today, Rachel?" said the man to Annette's left, who looked not much older than Rachel.

"Firstly, I will be singing 'On My Own', followed by 'Being Good Isn't Good Enough' by-"

"Barbra Streisand." he continued. "Nice choice. Whenever you're ready."

Rachel took a deep breath.

_On my own _

_Pretending he's beside me _

_All alone I walk with him till morning_

_Without him I feel his arms around me_

_And when I lose my way I close my eyes _

_And he has found me..._

In her mind, Rachel thought of Finn. She remembered the way she felt when she'd sang 'My Man' back in her junior year, and soon, the tears began to form in her eyes. When she hit the high note, singing:

_Without me, his world would go on turning._

_A world that's full of happiness that I have never known..._

The tears began flowing slowly, falling down her cheeks. As she finished the song with the lyrics,

_I love him, but only on my own._

She closed her eyes, and saw Finn's face. She imagined their baby, and what she would look like when she'd arrive in a few months. Suddenly, she was pulled back to the present. The music to her second song began to play, and she knew she would do it justice. She had to.

_Being good isn't good enough..._

_Being good won't be good enough._

_When I fly, I must fly extra high,_

_And I'll need special wings so far to go_

_From so far below..._

This song brought her back to those days in high school where she thought she wasn't good enough for Finn, or for anyone. Rachel thought back to how she felt when she saw Finn with Quinn, or Santana, and suddenly, her voice grew in power, and when she reached

_I'll try, am I strong enough?_

She raised her arms, because she had been strong enough. She'd survived all the crap that had been thrown at her the last few years, and had come out on top; living in New York, attending NYADA, and Finn. He was the greatest of them all.

As she held out the final note, the panel of directors began applauding, and Annette stood on her feet. Rachel was, to say the least, exhausted, and had given every ounce of emotion into that performance. It looked like it had payed off.

"Rachel," started Annette. "that was brilliant. I will call you when we've made our decision, and I'm sure it'll be very soon. Thank you."  
"No, thank you, for your time." said Rachel, before walking off the stage. What she didn't hear was the young man sitting by Annette exclaiming, "If we don't hire her, we'll regret it."

-F&R-

"Finn! I'm home!" said Rachel, throwing her bag on the couch. He was laying on the couch in his sweatpants, and nothing else, watching an old episode of 'Breaking Bad'.

"Hey, babe! How did it go?" he asked, getting up.  
"Pretty good, I think. Oh, god."  
"What? What's wrong?"  
"Did you have to be topless?" she groaned.  
"Is it a little too much for you, babe?" chuckled Finn.  
"Look, my hormones are everywhere, and right now, I just wanna jump your bones."  
"Your wish," he said, unzipping her dress. "is my command."

Rachel pushed Finn back down on the couch and straddled him immediately, kissing him passionately. He began pulling her dress away from her body, and kissed her neck roughly.

She began grinding against him, as she tried to pull his sweatpants down his body. Just as Finn was about to unclasp Rachel's bra, the phone rang.

"Ignore it." pleaded Rachel, pulling his pants down. She groaned against his mouth, but he pulled away.

"Rachel, it's someone called Annette."  
Rachel practically jumped off Finn, grasping for the phone.

"Hello, Annette?" she said, out of breath.  
"Rachel, are you okay, you sound strange."  
"Oh, I'm just tired. What was it you wanted, Annette?"  
"To congratulate you."  
"O-on what?"  
"On getting the role of Eponine, of course."  
Rachel almost dropped the phone.

"A-are you sure?"  
"Of course. You were the clear choice, Rachel. No one sang 'On My Own' with such emotion. May I ask, how that was?"  
Rachel looked over to an ecstatic Finn. "I guess I just have a really great muse."  
"Yes, well, I shall be seeing you in late March for your first rehearsal, and shall e-mail you the details. Enjoy your last few months as a normal person, because from March onwards, you are a theater star. Goodbye, Rachel."

And with that, Rachel let out the loudest scream. Finn clutched her against his chest, kissing her forehead. "I am so proud of you, babe."  
"Thank you. I'm just so happy right now! But..."  
"But what?"  
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking right now?"  
"Celebratory sex?"  
"You just get me." she laughed.

And with that, they continued their antics in the bedroom, blissfully in love: **soulmates.**

**AN: Reviews/Favorites/Follows all equal love! Hope you liked it! **

**PS I own nothing. Only the laptop I write this on.**


	10. Chapter 10

**AN: Hi, guys! So, this is Chapter 10 out of a probable 12. Yes, this fic is coming to an end. I just feel like I need to write some other stuff now, but I'm positively going to finish this one first, in my own time! This is a very special chapter for you, as my way of saying thank you for your patience. Enjoy!**

It was late February, and Rachel, now seven months pregnant, lay on the couch watching the news. Finn's teaching assistant position in Queens meant that he arrived home late most weeknights, but at least it gave them the money they needed in order to live. Finn had been busy after their honeymoon, preparing for his teacher qualifications exam, which would allow him to get a higher position, promising a better income. There was one way to get this higher position: studying his ass off for the whole of January and some of February, in order to pass the exam.

About two weeks ago, he had learned that he'd passed the exam . It all seemed so easy, so simple. To make the situation even better, the school Finn's current job was at had immediately offered him a higher position in their 3rd grade class, as they were in desperate need of someone like him. Of course, being nineteen, Finn had to learn how to grow up these past few months, and as he wasn't qualified to be a certified teacher, there were a lot of things he wasn't able to do, which frustrated him. But, in the end, he appreciated the fact he could support his wife and their baby, and he was proud, even though he'd never dreamed of being a teacher.

Rachel had been worrying a lot these past couple of months about Annette's words: Rehearsals in March. The baby wasn't due until late April, meaning she would have to explain to Annette and the company that she was pregnant. Rachel knew that she'd be unable to do the show if that was the case. They couldn't keep on a heavily pregnant woman; they'd have to cast their second choice, and Rachel would be heartbroken. At that moment, as if by magic, Rachel's phone chimed with an e-mail. She sighed, sitting up, glancing at what she read before her:

_Rachel,_

_So sorry that it has taken me this much time to write to you, but it truly has been hectic trying to get this musical up and running! This is just a reminder and a clarification to you that your first rehearsal will be March 31__st__, which is later than we had hoped, due to casting issues and such. You will arrive at 10 am and be introduced to your vocal, acting and choreography coaches, warm-up, and start rehearsal by eleven. I wish you good luck, and I shall see you on the 31__st__._

_Annette._

_Great_, Rachel thought to herself. She'd be eight months pregnant on the 31st, and unless she could find some clever way to disguise it, Annette would notice. Rachel sighed once more and dropped back onto the couch, feeling defeated. Suddenly, she could hear the door opening.

"I'm home, baby!" Finn shut the door quietly behind him, and looked down towards Rachel on the couch. "Rough day?" He sat beside her, rubbing soft circles onto her back.

"Yeah." she muttered, hugging him. "The baby's been kicking and I've been feeling tired all day." Finn kissed her softly, placing a hand on her stomach.

As if talking to the baby, he whispered, "Hey, you, baby girl Hudson, you give your mommy a break, okay? I know you wanna come out, but don't worry, you'll get to see us soon, okay?" Rachel chuckled. She wondered what on earth had happened to Finn. He looked so grown-up in his suit, but he'd matured himself, and was more of a man that he'd even been before. Fatherhood would be great for him, Rachel decided. On impulse, she quickly reached up and kissed him with passion, and began grinding against him, wanting him, needing him. He pulled away reluctantly, and she looked disappointed.  
"Baby, Kurt and Blaine are going to be here any minute, Kurt texted me to say so. Sorry, if you wanna jump me, it'll have to wait 'til later." he winked, full of charm.

Rachel groaned, and got up. Kurt and Blaine were coming to visit their apartment, after Kurt had moved to a smaller apartment in the NYADA campus, and Blaine visited him every weekend, Friday night to Sunday morning. Rachel really wasn't feeling up to anything, but quickly changed into a loose black dress and pumps. Even when she was a tired, grouchy pregnant woman, she still looked astonishingly beautiful.

The doorbell rang, and Finn greeted the couple with wine at the door, which with Kurt was extremely pleased.  
"Rachel, you look so cute!" Blaine exclaimed. Kurt nodded, sipping his wine.  
"Thank you, Blaine, but I seriously feel like shit today, so I'm sorry if I'm not the best host." Rachel tried to smile.  
"Hey, you have every right to be a shitty host, you're like seven months pregnant, and you can't drink! I'd be cranky if I were you, that's for sure." Kurt laughed.

Finn had been busy the night before preparing a meal for the four of them, and after he had put it in the oven, he glanced over to the three of them. He thought about how nice, how amazing it was for this to be possible; for their relationships to not have crumbled, and that they were going strong. He snapped out of it as the sound of Journey's 'Don't Stop Believing' started playing from the speakers, courtesy of Kurt. Finn chuckled to himself, and walked over.

-F&R-

As the night went on, Rachel started to enjoy herself, and forgot all about the musical and Annette and all the stresses that came with them. Rachel enjoyed the company of her best friends as Kurt drunkenly recalled a _hilarious _story from junior year at Dalton, as Blaine blushed and Finn cackled. She was enjoying herself so much she almost didn't notice it. She was enjoying herself so much she wasn't sure if it was real. She was enjoying herself so much that she wouldn't have noticed if she was truly engaged in the party atmosphere. But, she did notice it. Around the table, laughter still filled the atmosphere, but Rachel's smile faded into a worried frown, her forehead wrinkling. Finn span around, smiling at her, but just as hers had, his smile soon vanished.

"Baby? What's wrong?" he asked, touching her arm. "Rachel?" She was almost too shocked to reply. Blaine and Kurt had now turned to her, looking worried. Why her, of all people, after everything she had been through? Rachel had been alone in New York without Finn, and then almost lost her baby, and now this. She couldn't help but think the fates were against her. She swallowed sharply, afraid of her answer.

"I-i think my water just broke."

**AN: Oh yes, I did really just do that. The next chapter is going to be very dramatic and maybe emotional and I promise to get it up as soon as possible. Reviews, Favorites and Follows are love, and thanks for reading!**


	11. Chapter 11

**AN: Hi guys! So sorry I haven't updated in like three weeks, but I've had so many exams, and I hope this chapter makes up for it! This is chapter 11/12, meaning this story is coming to a close pretty soon. I apologize if my baby stuff isn't completely accurate - I've never had one! Thanks for your support and patience, and enjoy!**

"W-what?" Finn stuttered in shock. Rachel stood up quickly, tears beginning to form in her eyes, and looked anxiously towards her husband. Kurt and Blaine were shellshocked, but did their best to help. After managing to get his head together, Finn asked Kurt and Blaine to quickly shove some things in a bag for Rachel whilst he calmed her down. "Rachel, listen to me, it's all going to be okay, I just need to get you your bag and then we're gonna go to the hospital, okay?" he reassured, cupping her chin. He was sick with worry, but didn't want to let Rachel know that. He practically snatched the bag from Kurt's grip, and quickly scurried down the stairs of the apartment. Kurt yelled a "We'll catch you up!" as he locked the door for them, but they were long gone before he'd finished his sentence.

The car journey was silent; excruciatingly silent. Rachel's sobs were barely audible, but Finn could feel her shaking in the seat beside him. It was just like that night where they almost lost the baby; or like that time on the train where Rachel got hurt: Rachel felt like it was all her fault. She was visibly upset about the circumstance, because she had little faith that their baby could survive another possibly fatal blow. After a while, when they were stuck in traffic, she spoke.  
"Maybe God's got something against me." she stated. Finn couldn't believe what he was hearing. He was almost angry, because she didn't realise that none of this was her fault.  
"How could you say that? If God had something against you, do you think he'd have given you an amazing voice, a gorgeous face, and a baby on the way?" Finn wasn't exactly religious, ever since the Grilled Cheesus situation, but for Rachel's sake, he had to get through to her somehow. "Look, Rach, I know you're thinking this is going to end badly tonight, but our baby is going to be fine. No, more than fine, she's going to be beautiful, and breathtaking, and she's going to be everything we ever imagined and more. And do you know why? Because she has an amazing mom, and because she was so excited and eager to see you, she decided to come out a little earlier. Don't cry, baby; this is a good thing, we're going to get to see our baby tonight. We're almost there, just hold on, okay?" he inhaled sharply, and she nodded, wiping away a tear.

"I really love you. I love you so much." she sobbed. He pulled into the hospital parking lot and looked towards her.  
"I love you too. Now, are you ready?"

-F&R-

After frantically signing in and getting a room at the hospital, Rachel looked frightened as she sat, in a gown, on the bed, Finn sitting in the chair beside it. He stroked her hair softly, his other hand firmly clasped around hers. She gave him a smile, but he could see the fear in her eyes. Rachel looked just like she had that time they'd first kissed in the auditorium; young, innocent, and ever so nervous. Soon enough, the midwife came in to talk to Rachel, and after checking a few things, she stated: "Okay, Mrs Hudson. We're going to take you through now. It's time."  
A state of panic rushed through Rachel, but on the outside, she simply nodded, as she sat in the wheelchair that would take her to the room where she would give birth. She looked up towards Finn as they moved down the corridor, and he shot her a glance that reassured her somewhat that everything would be okay. She hoped it would be okay.

Meanwhile, in the waiting room, Kurt and Blaine sat on the hard, uncomfortable chairs, flipping through magazines.  
"So, d'you think the baby's gonna be okay?" Blaine asked, looking up from the copy of _Us Weekly_ that he wasn't remotely interested in.  
"Hey, I think she'll be fine. I mean, lots of babies are born too early, and they grow up healthy. Don't worry too much." Kurt slid a hand into Blaine's, and smiled encouragingly.

Back in Rachel's room, she felt exhausted before even beginning. She was nineteen, for goodness' sake, and her fathers were miles away, unable to come because of a freak storm.  
"Okay, Rachel, what I'm going to need you to do is just breathe, and push when I tell you to." the midwife remarked.

Out of breath, Rachel nodded frantically, her hand gripping Finn's so hard he thought it would fall off. She was so glad he was there to support her, because if someone had told her seven months ago that Finn would be her husband within a few months, she'd have laughed in their face. This baby was a blessing for more than one reason, because it had been the reason for Finn and Rachel rekindling their relationship, the reason that their tether didn't break.  
Suddenly, there was a cry of "Push!" from the midwife, and Rachel tried her hardest to obey the order. After ten minutes of pushing and breathing and panting, Rachel began to give up.  
"I can't do this, Finn, I can't, I'm not strong enough!" she trembled.  
"Hey, listen to me, if there's anyone I know who's determined and driven and passionate enough to do this, it's you, Rach. I believe in you and love you, baby, and I know you can do this." Somehow, his words were motivation for her to gain the strength to continue, as she pushed harder, gripping his hand, tears of pain descending from her cheeks.

After what felt like forever, Rachel pushed for the final time, a bead of sweat dripping down her brow, and all of a sudden, she felt as if all the energy was leaving her body, and an overwhelming feeling of exhaustion washed over her. Those final seconds felt like so much more, and they felt as if they weren't real. But, they were; so very real. As she heard a tiny squeal coming from somewhere, she was transported back to reality, where her small, but beautiful baby lay before her.

"She's tiny." Rachel whispered, half in awe, half worried, because she was _so, so tiny _that it scared her. In a flash, having only seen her daughter for a few seconds, her baby was quickly taken away. She looked up towards Finn, who looked like he was having trouble breathing.  
"What are they doing? Where are they taking her? Where are you taking my baby?" she screamed, weeping. Finn simply cried too, placing his hand on her shoulder. She didn't understand what was happening, and neither did he. They knew that there were risks of having babies too early, but they'd thought seven months was okay. They'd thought their daughter would be okay. They'd thought everything was going to be okay.

Hours later, the midwife explained that their daughter had breathing issues due to being born so prematurely, and that she would have to remain in an incubator for the foreseeable future. Rachel cried out in pain, and Finn simply sat, feeling empty and sad. They were told that the baby needed a name in order to be registered properly, and that it was something for them to think about.  
"Can we... Can we see her?" Finn asked, wiping away a tear.  
"Sure, I'll just take you through, if you'd like to go now." the midwife replied, a loving, I-feel-sorry-for-you smile forming on her face.

-F&R-

"She's..." Finn stood above his daughter, looking through the glass of the incubator. "She's so beautiful. So small." Despite all of the wires surrounding her, his daughter was still perfect to him. Rachel let out a sob, and wrapped her arms around Finn lovingly, looking down at their baby.  
"That's her, that's little baby Hudson." she couldn't stop the tears by now.  
"So, what do you think? Is she an Esther? A Katherine?" Finn said, trying to lighten the mood.  
"No, I don't think so."  
"What about Aubrey?" he suggested.  
"Aubrey Carole Hudson. That sounds perfect. Our little Aubrey." Rachel let out a small sob again.  
"My mom's going to love that."

Suddenly, an alarm chimed through the room, and the couple were quickly escorted out by doctors and other medical assistants. Rachel was so tired and upset that she screamed her sobs in pain as she was dragged, feeling unable to breathe. She didn't know what was happening, but both Finn and Rachel knew it was going to be a painful experience for them both.

**AN: Okay, so I have two ways for this to end. Basically, the happy way, or the sad way. What I want you to do is message/review me telling me whether you want the happy ending or the sad one, and I'll take everything into account. I might post whichever ending I don't use as an 'alternate' one, just to satisfy those of you who don't get the ending you want. Thanks, and review, favorite and follow!**


	12. Chapter 12

**AN: So, here we are, it's the final chapter! As promised, I have taken all votes for the happy or sad ending into account, but you'll have to read on to see which one I chose! Either way, I cried. Thank you all for the support and love, and if you're a HIMYM fan, get excited, because a Barney/Robin fic is my next idea, though I'm still in the planning stage! Thank you so much, and I hope you enjoyed!**

2 hours. They'd been standing in the waiting room for two whole hours, whilst Aubrey, their little baby, was fighting for her life. Rachel had been sobbing for the first hour or so, but now, she sat on the cold, hard chair looking into space, expressionless, numb. Finn was no better; he sat next to Rachel, staring into the same miserable abyss as her, only his expression was easy to read: he was heartbroken. As any mother would be, Rachel was heartbroken too, but to such an extent that she couldn't feel _anything. _Finn shook as he sat with nerves and fear. After hours of silence, he spoke up.

"Why isn't anyone telling us anything?" He spat out the words, clearly unable to hold them in any longer. "Why won't anyone tell me what is happening to my baby?"  
He was angry; that was evident. But, yet, he received no answer. Kurt had taken Blaine to get something to eat for everyone about half an hour ago, in order to give Finn and Rachel their space. It was early morning now, and even though they'd been waiting a significant amount of time, Rachel hadn't slept. She hadn't ever spoken. She looked up to her husband, who was weeping into his hands, and took in a deep breath, as to not cry too.

"Do you remember when Sue's sister died?" she virtually whispered. Finn was so shocked by the tiny voice he heard that he snapped his head up, giving a solemn nod. Rachel's voice broke, but nevertheless, she continued. "In her speech, or the one Mr Schue read, do you remember the thing about the tether?" She paused. "I thought I had that. I thought I had that with..." she could barely speak her name. "With Aubrey. I thought that because she was growing inside of me, no harm could come to her, and that was had a tether, just like you and me: unbreakable."  
"Rach-" Finn interrupted.  
"No. Listen. That's what I thought. But then I had that scare where I thought I lost her, and I thought... I was stupid enough to think that it was the tether that kept her safe. So much for that fucking tether..."  
"Rachel, stop. You can't keep blaming yourself for this, it isn't your fault, no matter how much you convince yourself it is. Aubrey is still fighting, y'know..." He sat beside her. "She hasn't left us yet. You were right about the tether... It's what's keeping her fighting; your special bond. Now, c'mon, you need rest..." He moved so that her head could rest on his chest.  
"I just... I just thought it would be so much simpler that this... I thought it would be so easy..." Rachel sobbed into his chest. "That's our _baby _in there, Finn, and we can't do anything to help her. She's only been in this world for a few hours, and we've already left her to fend for herself..."  
"Ssh.." Finn's voiced wavered. "All we can do is wait. And hope. Hoping for the best is all we can do."

-F&R-

"Finn." he was awoken by his brother's soft voice, Rachel asleep on his chest. He looked up towards the clock; they'd been sleeping for about 45 minutes.  
"W-what is it?" asked Finn nervously.  
"T-the doctors just came in, they said they need you guys to go through." As Kurt finished his sentence, Rachel awoke. The look of panic in her husband's eyes was enough; she knew what they needed to do. Suddenly, she leapt from the chairs, gripping her husband's hand, as they dashed down the corridor. They arrived the door, and Rachel was about to open it.  
"Wait! I just want to say, whatever happens..." Finn couldn't stop the tears from building up in his eyes. "I will always love you." Rachel's voice shook as she said "I'll always love you too." They embraced softly, kissing each other as if this was the moment that would change their lives forever. And that it was.

Finn flung the door open, and the first thing they saw were doctors surrounding the place. Rachel looked over to Finn and let out a worried gasp. Finn tightened his clasp on her hand, as they slowly walked towards the crowd of medics. One doctor turned around, a solemn look on his face. His expression caused Finn to let out a stifled sob. As they walked closer, they knew were sure that their worst nightmare had come true; that Aubrey had died. But, as they heard a little cry coming from behind the crowd, they were proven incorrect. There she was: Aubrey Carole Hudson.

"Sh-she's okay?" Rachel exclaimed. The doctor answered in an affirmative manner before leaving, Rachel and Finn still weeping openly. Finn slipped an arm around Rachel's shoulder.  
"I love you both so, so much." he cried, sobbing, looking down at his baby daughter. _Daughter._ He was a father. "Looks like you were right about our tether." he chuckled in between sobs.  
"I don't know why I ever doubted it in the first place; it's always brought the ones we love back to us."  
Finn placed a kiss on Rachel's head as they stared in awe at their newborn baby. She was tiny. She was perfect. She was all _theirs. _

-F&R-

**About Three years later**

Aubrey Hudson ran across her room in a cute dress picked out by her father: green with white flowers, a dress similar to the ones her mother would wear back in high school. Many things had changed in three years: Finn had decided to take a college course in Education, meaning, now, at 22 years old, he was a certified teacher, teaching elementary school children. For the first month or so after Aubrey's birth, Rachel's schedule was hectic, rehearsing for Les Miserables five days a week, so, naturally, Finn would look after her. But, when the show finished in the February of Aubrey's first birthday, Rachel took on a full-time role as Aubrey's mother.  
She was now a professional actress, and since being in Les Mis, had won 2 Tony Awards, one for Les Mis, and the other for her dream role: Fanny Brice in Funny Girl, which she'd finished a few months ago. Another thing that had changed is that they new lived in a big house in the suburbs, in order to give Aubrey a nice environment to live in.

Last year, on his 21st birthday, Kurt had received the best gift he'd ever gotten: his wedding to Blaine Anderson. They were all growing up so quickly.

"Aubrey, what did I tell you about running all the time, sweetie? You're going to hurt yourself." Finn swept her up in his arms. "And Daddy doesn't want you to get hurt, because then he'll have to unleash... THE TICKLE MONSTER!" Aubrey giggled uncontrollably as her father tickled her, which had become one of their usual games over the years. He was such a good father, which was clear. He'd taken on the responsibility so easily, so naturally, and he was so good with Aubrey. All of a sudden, Rachel appeared at the top of the stairs in an apron.

"Finn, can we, uh, talk?" she looked nervous. Finn kissed Aubrey's cheek, told her he'd be back, and stepped out into the hallway.  
"Is everything okay? What's wrong?" Finn looked concerned.  
"Yeah, well, uh, I think it is. I just... I don't really know how to say this... I went to the doctors today because I'd been feeling sort of... _dizzy. _And, uh, I have some news..." Rachel held up a positive pregnancy test.  
"You-you're pregnant?" there was a gleam in Finn's eye and a tone of joy in his voice.  
"Yes!" Rachel cried with joy. Finn picked her up as she shrieked happily. They began to kiss passionately, and Rachel wrapped her arms around his shoulders, letting him in. After putting her back down, Aubrey opened the door.

"What are you doing, Mommy and Daddy?" she asked curiously.  
"Well, Aubrey, I was just telling Daddy that I have a present for you..." Rachel smiled, picking her daughter up.  
Aubrey gasped. "What is it? What is it?"  
"How would you like a baby brother or sister soon?" asked Rachel.  
"Yes please, Mommy! But can I have a girl? Boys are silly!" Aubrey added. Finn mocked shock and sadness, giggling. "Not you, Daddy, you're special." she added quickly.  
"Well, Daddy and I'll see what we can do, but I'm sure you'll love him or her either way, right?" smiled Rachel.  
"Yes, Mommy!" Aubrey wrapped a free arm around Finn's neck, and the three hugged.

Little did Rachel know that Aubrey would warm to having a baby brother, eight months later, when Aaron Christopher Hudson was born, with his father's nose, but his mother's big eyes.

**AN: And, that's it, folks! Hope you liked it, and if you want to see more, please review, favorite etc. It really does help! I feel kinda emotional after writing this, and I hope you felt emotional too! See you soon!**


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